Spabk-abbestee



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL GIBSON, OF MANAYUNK.` PENNSYLVANIA.

SPARK-ARRESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,123, dated May 22, 1847.

The flue consists of three cylindrical pipes,l one within the othermarked in the drawing A, B, C, D, E, F, G, II,'I, J, K, L, the purposeof which will appear below. The outer and second pipes are made (in theordinary sized engines) about four inches apart, united at bottom by theupper surface or top' of the boiler, on which they arexed. The space orapartment between these two pipes b, b, I), Z), has no communicationwith the interior of the boiler. The third or innermost pipe I, J, K, L,is movable so as to revolve freely within the second', pipe, and passesinto the boiler through an orifice F, H, in the top, or upper surface,thereof, ex-

' actly of the interior diameters ofthe second lout to receive it.

pipe, terminating about a foot below the upper surface of the boiler.shaft M, N, running from the crown at the top of the flue, down throughthe boiler passing out at the bottom through an orifice of a diameterjust large enough to embrace the shaft but not so tight-ly as to preventits revolving freely, terminating in a pivot resting on a step N,beneath the boiler. To prevent the rising of this shaft with itsfixtures from the step on which it plays, a screw M, passing through thecrown of the flue, described hereafter, pressesrvertically on the headof the shaft which is hollowed Surrounding this shaft are two spiralinclined planes or flanges I, O, K, P, forming a double threaded screwwhich terminates at the lower end of the inner pipe; the outer edges ofthese flangesA are attached to the innermost pipe and their inner edgesto the shaft which they surround. The innermost pipe I, J, K, L, istherefore fixed to, and revolves with the shaft M, N. The part of theboiler into which this pipe with its shaft enters as above described isthat portion farthest from the furnace, and which in the ordinarylocomotive engines is partitioned off .upon them It contains a-rfromfthe rest of the boiler, and into which the smoke and waste steamare discharged previous to issuing from the flue orv smoke pipe. Thisconstruction of the boiler being that ordinarily in use and constitutingno part of this invention is nottherefore more particularly described.`Immediately below .the termination of the innermost pipe and its spiralplanes and within the same part of the boiler, four -inclined fansk oriianges z', i, z', are fixed upon the Vshaft 'running in the samedirection with'A the spiral planes making each about onek fourth -.of aturn around the shaft andA being of a sufcieut size to catch thesteamand by itsv action give a Arevolving motion to the Ishaft M, N. fVBelow the top of the lpipes at the distance of about one fifth of theirlength and between the outermost and second pipes there.

is a transverse plate or partition g, `R,jin clining downward toward thefrontof the engine at an angle of about forty five degrees; and on thefront side of the outer pipe, immediately. above the lower edge of Y.

the partition plate is an -orifice or vent -by which `the sparksandcinders which fallon the-partition Q, R, are discharged through afourth pipe R, S, leading from the first pipe A, B, C, D, passingobliquelydown and terminating just in front of the boiler.

The purpose of the triple pipe is as fol-K` lows:` The space between theouter and sec= ond pipe above thek partition plate servesv as a chamberinto which the cinders and sparks are thrown after they haveissuedlfromthe innermost pipe, previous to their being discharged upon thev roadbelow theleng'ine Were there but two pipes, viz. t-he innermostandtheouter, the cinders would be apt,'in falling uponv the inclinedpartition plate, to get between that and t-he revolving pipewhere itpasses through the plate, and thus produce a friction which would stopits motion. Nor `would a mere collar, surrounding the revolving pipewhere it p-assed through t-he inclined plate, prevent this effectually.The additional pipe is therefore necessary at least from the inclinedplate upward,-and byextending it downward asv d in this description soas to rest on the boiler like the outer pipe, the apparatus is made morefirm and steady. There should also be a small space between the secondand innermost pipes in order that any dust or other matter accidentallygetting between them, might not clog or prevent the free revolution ofthe innermost pipe. The screw might be made with a single thread butwould not in that case revolve so steadily and freely. The space betweenthe second and innermost pipes should be covered at top and bottom bytransverse plates or collars E, l, K, Gr, F, H, so as to prevent any ofthe draft from` passing between thema On the top of the outer pipe is acap or crown A, M, C, which is terminated by an arch through which thescrew M, passes that keeps the shaft in its place as already mentioned.This cap is cylindricaland the outer pipe is continued by it severalinches above the two inner ones. The outer pipe may be made so muchlonger than the inner ones, as to render any othercap unnecessary excepta mere cover.

The operation of the machine is as fol lows: When the engine is set inmotion, the

`steam by acting on the fans z', z', i, at the bottom ofthe inner pipe,gives a rapid revolving motion to the shaft M, N, carrying the innerpipe I, J, K, L, and then passing with the smoke &c. into the spiraliiue i, formed by the inner pipe I, J K, L, vand spiral planes I, O, K,J, keeps up and increases that motion; issuing out of the top I, K,ofthe inner pipe, from whence the vsparks and cinders are thrown withviolence against the inside of the outer pipe, or its cap A, M, C,- andthen falling down onfthe partition plate Q, R are discharged by theoblique pipe R, S, downward upon the road.

When the apparatus is not in motion the smoke is discharged by a pipe ofthe ordi nary construction T, T, made to open and close with a valve fv,v, at the bottom of it, placed behind the triple pipe or spark catcher.The valve Vis managed by a crank c, CZ, and rod CZ, e, passing to thehand of the engineer.

` What I claim as my invention isl The cornbinatio-n of the triple pipeand the revolving screw, and in combination therewith the obliquepartition plate` and discharge pipe. a i1 t SAMUEL GIBSON. VVit-nesses:Y

S. H. MARKLAND,

GEORGE L. ASHMEAD.

